Bullying by Camera Phone

Children are relentlessly creative in their efforts to devise new ways of tormenting each other. Now, camera phones are being added to the toolbox of torture devices. The UK Guardian recalls an incident in which intimate photos of a young girl were circulated to as many as 10,000 people, causing her "immense distress," as one might imagine.

The children's charity NCH conducted a survey that found that one in five children had experienced bullying via text messaging, chatrooms and e-mail. One in 10 children report having been photographed via camera phone "in a way which made them feel uncomfortable, embarrassed or threatened." Of those, 17% suspect the images were sent to other people.

In its effort to counter the trend, NCH has launched a website, stoptextbully.com

Sources: Guardian, Smart Mobs